ARH and HCTC working together in Allied Health field

Hazard ARH hires a large number of Hazard Community and Technical College students, especially those who graduate from the college s Allied Health Program. Kenny Hicks, ARH Director of Radiology, said that he mostly hires HCTC graduates. He gets to know students because ARH serves as a clinical site so HCTC students can have real-life experience. Through the clinical experience, we observe who would be the best fit for us. There is a potential for additional hires because of the expansion of the emergency room expansion project in the near future, he said. Hicks noted he keeps in communication with Homer Terry, Radiography Program Coordinator, about potential hires.

Hicks also supports HCTC by allowing his employee, Pari Fields, a graduate of the HCTC Sonography program, to serve as an adjunct instructor for the College. She will be teaching a Diagnostic Medical Sonography Vascular class beginning in January.

Hazard ARH s J.D. Osborne, Operating Room Manager, also supports HCTC through allowing students to have a clinical experience and hiring graduates. I d say 85 percent of our employees are HCTC graduates, noted Osborne, who also graduated from HCTC before continuing his education. Osborne praised the graduates from the last three years because they have become the leaders among their peers. Osborne said he appreciates the working relationship with HCTC s Joanna Martin, Surgical Technology Program Coordinator.

HCTC President Dr. Steve Greiner said he is proud of the professional relationships forged between ARH and college programs. We listen to what the hospital administrators say they expect from our graduates and we provide training accordingly. As a college, one of our jobs is to prepare students for immediate entry into the workforce and thanks to ARH, we are able to do that.